


It's just a bunch of Hocus Pocus

by Soratonin (Baekhanded)



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Getting Together, Humor, M/M, hocus pocus au, i tried to follow the movie, subtle relationship really, the norts are the sanderson sisters, vanitas is binx
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:00:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27432403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baekhanded/pseuds/Soratonin
Summary: Roxas is new in town, and of course its halloween time and of course its halloween time in a town that LOVES halloween. he's miserable but he meets a redhead and maybe it isn't all so bad! But then again he has to take his little sister trick or treating and...who lit the black flame candle?!A virgin, duh!Aka, the Hocus Pocus au that almost killed me
Relationships: Axel/Roxas (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	It's just a bunch of Hocus Pocus

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kaoru_chibimaster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaoru_chibimaster/gifts).



> I AM SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG!!! I got sick and i could NOT sit through a movie and write notes so i could hit ALL the good parts, but i finally did it!! and it took me too long to get this done im so SORRY i hope it's worth the wait, i hope the length in general makes up for the wait!!!

_ It’s said that 300 years ago three witches lived in this town, at the old Nort house and they used to lure the children of the town in with a song. One witch was in charge of the song, his voice deep and alluring even to the peculiarities of prepubescent children. It’s said that our story starts and ends one night on All Hallow’s Eve in the early morning, a young lad known only by Vanitas lived on the outskirts of Salem for the sole purpose of protecting the village’s children from these vile witches charms.  _

_ The tale goes that the farm animals awoke him from his slumber, fore they had seen the witch you see, flying on his broom, a luring lullaby drifting through the early morning breeze, the feeling of something wrong startling the young Vanitas from his bed, from his house. He asks the neighbors what they’d seen, what they know and it turns out a young girl named Olette had stumbled into the wood as if in a daze. He told the neighbor to tell the Mayor and raced into the wood, to the old Nort house, for he knew who was the cause, what was at stake. This little girl’s life. _

_ It was early, and he was still drenched in the haze of sleep, his feet tangled on a root and he tripped, tumbling tumbling tumbling down a high high hill, the morning dew bringing the fallen foliage to stick to his skin. A cold sweat broke over his skin as he spotted the house, a window slamming open as he began his careful trek closer, across pond stones and slick wood. _

_ “Another glorious morning,” He heard a voice, clearly one of the witches that lived there, “It makes me  _ sick.” 

_ He doesn’t hear much more as he peeks in a window, a tuft of blue hair the sign he needs to know Aqua has been taken. He swallows his nerves and slips inside the house to the sound of rich male voices speaking of ‘dead men’s toes’. It sends a shiver down his spine. They’re discussing a potion, something involving toes and newt’s eyes. He hides when they all halt. _

_ Another rich male voice speaks, “I smell a child.”  _

_ Another answers, though less rich in pitch, “And what do you call that?!” He had to be the leader. He was smaller than the other two but the aura of menace around him was like no other.  _

_ Vanitas catches eyes with Aqua as the witches chime together “Add a bit of thine own tongue.” he cringes as they bite and spit, a dribble of red down each of their chins.  _

_ He sees them pull out a giant wooden spoon, and he can no longer wait. He jumps out with a shout, “No!” On his lips as he tips the cauldron over, pouring out the potion so the witches can no longer take another’s youth. He didn’t have a plan, and he didn’t think of the magic, green sparks wrack his body with pain, and the leader of them all a Xehanort fills him so full of electricity he cannot move for a good long minute. Long enough for the three brother witches to join hands, and suck the life from the poor child, Aqua.  _

_ By the time Vanitas pulls himself up, barely in a sitting position the witches are younger, more beautiful even Vanitas can see their appeal and he feels sick from it.  _

_ “We’re young! Well...young _ er _.” One of them says, with long straight hair, just as silver-white as the other two but a skin between the others, not the darkest nor the lightest, Ansem.  _

_ Vanitas snarls, “There aren’t enough children in the world to make thee young and beautiful.”  _

_ The brothers snarl and Ansem hands Xehanort a book. A book with an eye, “Ah, yes. This will do, his punishment shall not be to die, but to  _ live,  _ forever with the guilt, the knowledge that he failed _ .” 

_ The witches cackle, the two brothers chime, “As what as what!” An evil glint in golden eyes. _

_ Xehanort grins, and the incantation begins, “ _ “ _ Twist the bones and break the back, trim him of his baby fat, give him fur black as black, just. Like. this.” The two brothers join in in the last three words and Vanitas’ body is wracked with pain, causing him to cry out and shrink, shrink, shrink.  _

_ Just as the rest of the town comes to save them both, but alas they are too late.  _

_ The witches are gathered and brought to gallows right outside their door, they begin a song and Vanitas is willing his body to move, to warn the townsfolk but it hurts hurts hurts.  _

_ A wicked wind blows and the book flys open and Xehanort cackles, reading the clear curse from the pages, “on All Hallows Eve when the moon is round a virgin shall summon us from under the ground.”  _

_ A lever is pulled, and three necks snap. _

_ Vanitas circles the Mayor’s legs, but is kicked away, pain blossoming anew. _

“And so they say, that even today there is a black cat on the grounds of the old Nort house, protecting the lives of the children of Salem, scaring away those that would try to summon the witches.”

Roxas scoffs, muttering, “Gimme a break,” loud in the silence of the student’s awe, and he feels a cold dred fall over him, but he hides it all under a bravado as the teacher speaks. 

“Ah? A skeptic in our midst, hmm?” 

Roxas hides any embarrassment, “I mean, granted you’re all into the black cats and witches and stuff but wasn’t halloween invented by the candy companies? It’s a total conspiracy.”

An amused voice speaks from behind his left arm, “It’s based off All Hallow’s Eve dummy, weren’t you even listening?” Roxas turns and swallows more embarrassment at amused green eyes damn near piercing into his soul . He feels himself shrink into the chair as the teacher praises an Axel. 

Roxas may hold the name to his chest, just a little. He’s out the door the second the bell rings, his skateboard a quick access from his locker as he swallows the embarrassment and eases his racing heart. 

He perks up seeing brilliant red spikes on the horizon and quickly heads that way, “Hey! Axel right?” He doesn’t know what he’s doing. “I’m-uh, well I just wanted to say hi...i’m Roxas.”

Axel still looks amused, somewhat like the cat that got the canary and cream too. “Don’t seem to like it here much, huh Roxas?”

Roxas flushes and shrugs, looking down at his feet, “I mean, the leaves are nice? It’s just all this halloween stuff and the Nort brothers- it’s just a lot.” 

Axel hums and nods, as if to agree, “You’re from a ways off, right? Probably not quite used to people taking Halloween so seriously. It’s alright, Roxas~ You’ll get used to it quickly.” 

That grin was disarming and Roxas stood dumbfounded and watched Axel leave. 

He shook his head and started back towards home, he’d learned quickly that the quickest way to and from school was the graveyard between the two, it was pretty dead most of the time so he was surprised to see two teens lounging on the tombstones. One was blonde and the other brunette. Neither looked very smart but Roxas knew deep in his gut that he wasn’t gonna get through to home without dealing with these two thugs. 

They stepped into his path and Roxas sighed, oh this was gonna be the longest interaction of the day. 

“Hey you’re the new kid right, where are you from.” The blonde asked.

“Uh,” they really didn’t look bright, “TT.” An abbreviation would work.

“Ahh youre from the big city huh! Nice, you got any smokes on you?”

Roxas refrained valiantly from rolling his eyes, “Nah I don’t smoke.”

“Got any cash?” The brunette asked.

“I don’t…”

“You ain’t got smokes, and you’ve got no cash, what oh what are we gonna do.”

Roxas didn’t like the look on his face.

He wasn’t surprised when they took his shoes. As embarrassing as it was, at least he hadn’t been beaten up.

He made it home not long after, making sure not to slam the door lest he aggravate his parents and then have to deal with that. They were right in the main room doing gods know what. 

“Hey Roxas! How was school!” His dad asked jovially as if he couldn’t see Roxas was absolutely miserable.

“Oh just peachy, wonderful and great.” He injected as much sarcasm as he could into his words and stormed up the stairs, “Why did you make me move here.” He asked more to himself as he pressed his head against the door to his room. 

He took a deep breath and pushed the door open, tossing his board to the side and slipping off his socks and dropping them in his hamper. “Hey guys.” He sighed as he sprinkled some food into his fish tank before falling backwards onto his bed. “Why am I such a damn fool, right in front of Axel too…”

While Roxas sighed and pitied himself, he didn’t realize there was someone hiding in his closet until it was too late. 

“BOO!!” She jumped out and Roxas screamed as his little sister cackled and threw herself over him, half on him as she tried to lay beside him on his bed, “I scared you, I scared you! Oh Axel protect me from the scariest witch in town!” She grabbed a pillow and hugged it to her chest dramatically.

Roxas stared at his sister, “Xion! What are you doing in my room!”

She ignores his question and grins instead, “Guess what! You’re gonna take me trick or treating!” She sang. Roxas scoffed and stood from the bed to busy himself with a drum set he didn’t really know how to play well yet.

She follows him, practically skipping around the set to lean against his shoulder, grabbing his arm as he played, “Pleaaaaassseeee, please please please!” Roxas tried not to look into her big blue eyes but failed near instantly. He sighed and stopped his playing, ruffling her hat off her hair and the hair underneath.

“Fine, lemme get dressed.” 

She squealed in delight and rushed out of his room. He pulled a sweater and hat on and went to his waiting sister as she posed for pictures their mom was taking.

“What’re you s’posed to be?” She asked as she grabbed his hand for their photo op.

“A professional skater.” He said in a monotone. 

She shrugged, it didn’t really matter. He wasn’t gonna halt her candy gathering!

\--

It’s honestly not a bad time. Xion’s having fun and they’re both making a pretty awesome candy hoard. That is until Roxas notices the blonde from earlier- Seifer and his cronie Rai. He halts in the walkway, Xion looking at him curiously. “Let’s go this way.”

She stares at him like he’s lost a few marbles before stomping her way down the walk, right up to Seifer who kicks a leg out to block her. “You gotta pay the toll to pass.”

“Drop dead moron.” She says and rolls her eyes dramatically. Roxas would be proud if he didn’t have a sinking feeling. He watches as they try to take her candy, and she says something so nonsensical about how her big brother will beat them up he almost breaks into a hysterical laugh. 

“Traverse boy~!” Seifer calls a nasty grin on his stupid face. “Looks like your little sister here thinks you can kick our ass, huh?” he flicks her hat and Roxas steps between them, shoving his bag to his chest. 

“Just take this okay.” Seifer cackles and Roxas pushes through them, Xion’s hand in his in a vice as he pulls her along.

“That was just embarrassing! Why didn’t you do anything!” She stomped and tugged at him.

“They woulda killed me! Xion you just made me the laughing stock of the school! That was half my class! So just- collect your candy and get out of my life!” 

He regrets it the moment it’s out of his mouth and he sees her eyes go wide, sadness seeping in before she covers it with anger. Storming down the strangers walk, “I wanna go home!!” 

She only makes it to a little hay patch with pumpkins before collapsing on it in tears. Roxas follows, shoulders slumped, settling beside her and resting a hand on her small shoulder. “Xi...i’m sorry I didn’t mean it, okay? I just- I hate it here, I want to go home!”

“This is your home now!” she sniffs and wipes at her eyes, “So get used to it!” 

And she was right, of course she was. He sighs, “You’re right...come on, gimme one more chance?”

“Why should I?” She huffs and tries to turn further away from him.

“Cause i’m your big brother.” he hums and digs his fingers into her sides, bringing a shriek of giggles from her mouth.

“Okay okay! One more chance!” She stands with a smile, her eyes bright from the shed tears. 

“Oh- oh hey look at that!” he stands and looks up, watching her follow his gaze.

“What! What is it?” 

“I thought I saw something fly over the moon…” He watches her stare intently before tickling her sides with a playful roar. She shrieks again, more laughter falling from her lips. She smacks him weakly with a small hand that he just takes with a smile.

He leads her to the richy rich houses. They share a look that only siblings could translate:  _ Jackpot! _

They peek their heads into the giant entry way, “Trick or treat..” They say half heartedly before beelining to the giant bowl of  _ full size candy bars _ on some nonsense table. They dig their hands in before an amused snort gets their attention and both startle away like kids. Roxas goes red as he sees Axel, done up to the nines like a little devil, horns and all. 

“Heya, Roxas. Thought you didn’t like halloween?” He was teasing and Roxas fumbled.

“I-uh, I’m taking my little sister out- for trick or treating!” Xion nudges him in the side and frowns.

Axel walks down the stairs, amusement making his emerald eyes sparkle, “Well, nice t’meet’cha little sister, i’m Axel.”

Xion’s eyes brighten too and Roxas wants to drown into the floor, “Oh,  _ Axel  _ huh? I’m Xion! I’m a witch!” 

Axel laughs, “I can see that! I dig it. Witches are awesome, huh?” She grins and nods. “You guys want some cider?”

Roxas nods dumbly and Axel leads them to another room with another bowl, but this time fancy and pours a cup, handing it to Roxas who holds it with both hands. 

“Uh, how’s the party?” he asks, still dumber than a rock. He hears even Xion sigh behind him.

“Pretty boring honestly.” he laughs, “Hey Xion, you like witches huh?” at her nod and description of learning about the Nort brothers Axel’s eyes light up, “Did you two hear about the old museum?” Xion’s eyes sparkled.

“Museum!?”

Axel laughed, “Yeah! It’s been shut down cause a ton of creepy things happened there!” 

That shut her down a bit, “O-oh.”

Roxas, feeling bold by those bright eyes, “Why- uh, why don’t we go check it out? I mean it’s just an old building? You wanna make a believer out of me right?”

Axel looked sufficiently interested, “Yeah, sure lemme just go get changed!” 

They both watched Axel run up the stairs he came before Xion tugged his sleeve. 

“Roxas I don’t want to go up there! It’s scary!” she whined.

“Don’t worry Xi. I won’t let anything happen, it's just a building, besides I- this is my only chance to impress Axel. Please? For me?”

Her eyes narrowed, “Fine, but on one condition. Next year we trick or treat as Peter Pan and Wendy,  _ with _ tights or no deal.”

Roxas sighed and bade farewell to whatever remained of his dignity this time next year, “Deal.”

\--

Axel was quick to change and the walk to the house was a quick and easy one, there wasn’t any traffic because a lot of people were freaked out about this place. Roxas still thought it was silly, but it was nice to spend time with Axel even if he spent most of the walk there gushing about witches with Xion. 

It was also easy getting into the house. It smelled old and dusty and musty. Roxas snagged a lighter and wiped the little square of metal on his pant leg to get rid of the spiderwebs, illuminating the room just enough for Axel to find the light switch which was a miracle all its own! 

Axel cleared his throat and began to explain the history of the house and what the things in the house were. Roxas had to admit it was pretty awesome. It was history preserved. More than a museum or gimmick. Xion brings attention to a book on display with what looked like the carving of a closed eye. 

“It’s a spell book, say’s it was given to the brother’s by the devil himself. That it’s bound in human skin and contains the most powerful and evil spells known” Axel read from the little plaque while Roxas wandered to a weird little candle.

“Huh, black flame candle, said to be made from the fat of a hanged man. Legend says on a full moon ittl raise the dead if lit by a virgin on halloween night.” He couldn’t help but snort in amusement, “Whaddaya say we light the sucker and meet the bastards?” He flicked the lighter open and on. 

Just as he looks to the wick, the thought of lighting it floating through his head he’s attacked by something small and furry and black. The three all let out a scream and Roxas has to pry little cat claws from his skin, tossing the cat to the ground.

Xion immediately starts shaking her head, “No. Roxas no. Let’s just get out of here! I’m really freaked out now!”

Roxas sighs and rolls his eyes, “Oh come on, it’s all just a bunch of hocus pocus.” 

And with that, he lights the candle. 

The moment the candle’s lit the lights all pop, shattering as the glass rains down on them, an eerie wind blows only in the building a whistling whipping through their hair and ears. The floorboards begin to shake while a brilliant green light glows from beneath it. It’s a horrifying moment and  _ has  _ to be a gimmick but Roxas holds tight to the podium the book is in until it all stops.

“What happened.” Roxas sounds dumbstruck.

“A virgin lit the candle.” Xion sounds like she could and would wring his neck in a heartbeat. 

As they all stare at each other, true fire flames light the candles where the light fixtures were, another fire blooms to life in the fireplace as well as the fire under the cauldron. Horrible cackling sounds and all three hide as the door flies open and three men step in. 

Roxas can’t hear much as they speak, something about ‘I told you I left the cauldron on!’ and laughter until a clear voice. 

“Sweet revenge! The curse worked perfectly.” 

Then another voice sounds, deeper than the first, “Xehanort. I smell children.”

A chill runs down Roxas’s spine and he peeks out from his hiding place to see three silver haired men, all decked out in odd robes. The one with the longest hair gives a deep inhale as the other two follow.

“It’s a little girl. About 7...no, 8 and a half.” 

Roxas watches them get to where Xion’s hiding, and the one with the shortest hair smacks the desk, startling a squeal from her as she hops up.

She fibs, says she’s the one that summons them. 

“Tell us girl, what year is it?” 

Roxas is impressed that her voice doesn’t waver.

“300 years, brothers. It’s been 300 years. Oh how time flies...when you’re dead!” The short haired one says, and the other two laugh as they lead Xion to a chair and have her sit. She forces laughter of her own, but silences herself. 

Xion tries to talk her way out, standing and trying to step away but they grab her. She screams and kicks out and Roxas can no longer wait and hide. 

“Hey! Get away from my sister!” He tries to hit the short haired silver but some sort of...green electricity zaps him- right from their fingers! And it hurts! It really hurts. It’s like hes a magnet and the entire house is made of metal! The green lightning slamming him to the wall. 

He barely recognizes Axel’s voice saying a name, “Hey Ansem!” before he smacks the shit out of him with a bat, then a ...was that a frying pan?

“You leave my brother alone!” Xion screams and hits the witch with her bag of candy. Hits him again and then once more to the third brother. The magic recedes and Roxas grabs her hand and runs. The furry black ball from before launches at the short haired one and as theyre running out, Roxas has an idea. 

“Hey! You’ve messed with the great and powerful Rox! And now you’re gonna get a taste of the Burning Rain of Death!” the witches frown and talk, repeating the words as Roxas flicks open the lighter and holds the flame up to a sprinkler, setting them all off. 

The witches scream and Roxas jumps from his perch, the black cat launching itself at him again.

“Nice going  _ Rox.”  _

He stares in shock at the voice coming out of the  _ cat _ , “You can talk!”

“Yeah, no kidding. Now get the spellbook!” He hisses and jumps off of him. Roxas shakes his head but does as he’s told, smashing the glass that holds the book, the witches screaming in anger behind him. He holds the book tight and runs outside, meeting Axel and Xion and the cat and the four run off into the night. Following the cat.

The witches linger, hesitating under the wood of their loft. Xehanort frowns and reaches a hand out, anger emanating from him, “It is but water! The boy has tricked us! And he’s stolen the book!” With a growl they leave the wet house, down the walkway but hesitate at the asphalt.

“Tis a black river…” Xemnas says. 

They all look to each other before pushing Ansem out onto it. He screams but pauses before stomping a foot on the ground. “Tis firm!” 

“It..it’s a road!” Xehanort says, a touch of awe in his voice as the three begin down the walk.

Then comes the telltale sound of a siren, a banshee's scream. The three brothers, unknowing of the sound, retreat back to the safety of their house.

\--

“This is a graveyard!” Roxas yells.

“It’s Hallowed ground! The witches can’t set foot here!” the other two stare.

“Oh, uh yeah he can talk.” Roxas explains. The cat jumps through the bars of the gate and the three humans follow. They walk a few steps in, feeling the safety of the hallowed ground settle over them. The cat hops onto a gravestone and the others settle around him.

“You’re Vanitas, aren’t you.” Axel says, awe in his voice.

\--

Meanwhile the witches hide. Behind a sign in front of their house. They watch as firefighters go in, turn off an alarm, shut off the sprinklers. They watch them leave hissing about witch hunters. 

“We have to get that book back, the magic that brought us back only works for tonight, my brothers.” 

The three retreat inside to grab their brooms. There is no time to waste and it is an easy matter to follow Ansem’s nose to the familiar little girl’s location.

\--

  
  


The cat- Vanitas sighs, “I am. I was cursed by those witches 300 years ago. I failed to save Aqua, a little girl from town, and I didn’t know what to do for years. I wandered until I settled on protecting the outside world from the witches.” He continues on about what he’s done, and as he does Axel peeks into the book. Vanitas hisses and jumps on it, slamming the book shut. 

“You mustn’t open the book! It’s full of evil!” Who would have thought a cat could be so damn intimidating.

“Then we should torch the sucker.” Roxas grabs it and tosses it to the ground, flicking the lighter open once more he crouches but the flame doesn’t take.

“It’s protected by magic, genius. Did you really think they would allow a mere mortal the opportunity to hurt their book? That the damn devil would?” It wasn’t great...being lectured by a cat.

“It’s just a bunch of hocus pocus!” A voice calls from above, mocking and dark. The group startles and jumps up, spinning around to see the witches floating above the graveyard. Hovering on their brooms. 

“Brave little virgin that lit the candle, I'll be your friend~.” The one with the deepest voice says, Xemnas, tone mocking yet sultry. Axel snarls and smacks him with a tree branch.

“Oh, book~” the leader witch, Xehanort calls and the book begins to hover. Vanitas notices and hisses, jumping onto it. “Oh Vanitas is that you? I almost didn’t recognize you~!”

Vanitas hisses again, “Follow me!” Roxas grabs the book and the three follow him through the maze of tombstones.

“They can’t touch us here right?!” Xion cries, this is all so much more than she bargained for.

“Well,  _ they _ can’t.” Vanitas drones.

Xion whines, “I don’t like the way you said that.”

They hear Xehanort speaking behind them, a clear incantation and the ground shakes, a tremor from further away. He summoned an ex lover- an Eraqus from the grave to do his bidding. He points him in the direction of the book, and demands the zombified man to get it back.

It’s horrifying, straight out of a horror movie. Axel and Xion follow Vanitas down a small hole, down into some sort of something. Roxas hesitates, hangs back and stares into the undead eyes of the ex-lover Eraqus. He pulls back a branch and snaps it, knocking the poor zombie’s head off before tossing the book through the hole and following after it.

At least they could be safe in here, at least they could get a head start at least.

\--

“What is this place? Roxas asks long after they’ve begun walking.

Vanitas hesitates only a moment, “It’s an old crypt, just keep up ok?...now which way was it..it’s been awhile since i’ve been- oh! This way! Keep up!” They do, they don’t speak as they follow the little speck of black through a dank old crypt, Xion stays close to Roxas, hesitating from holding his hand each time. Vanitas eventually leads them to a ladder, and Roxas follows the cat up. Or more like Roxas climbs and Vanitas hitches a ride on his shoulders. He pushes the sewer grate up and Vanitas hops out, wandering around.

Roxas catches sight of bright lights, “Vanitas watch out!” But it’s too late, it’s no use. He has to close the grate and he can hear the truck run over the cat’s body. He casts a look down into Xion’s bright eyes.

“What is it?” She pushes him to go, and he can’t linger- they can’t stay. He has no choice but to go up and let his sister see what remains of the cat she was quickly coming to like.

Axel lets out a gasp as Xion calls for Vanitas. She turns and spots him, flattened in the middle and chokes up, tears filling her eyes. She turns into Roxas and sobs. Roxas comforts her, arms around her.

“Guys?” Axel says quietly, and they both turn to look, watching the cat’s body inflate before he gasps and hops up, shaking out his fur.

“Ugh, I hate it when that happens. What? Why are you looking at me like that. I told you I can’t die. Xion..? Are you alright?” His voice is softer for her, but she nods. Vanitas nods back, “Alright, well okay. Let’s go!”

\--

As they run, Eraqus follows them underground, much worse for wear being a zombie. The witches snarl and Xehanort comes to the conclusion that they have no choice, they’ll not only have to rely on his Ex, but they’ll have to outsmart the children that took his book all the while collecting children for their youthful goals.

“I suggest we form a calming circle.” Ansem says, almost wisely.   
  


“I am calm!” Xehanort snaps. The other two look in disbelief and he sighs. “Fine, fine let’s.” 

Ansem takes his brothers hands and they begin to circle, chanting things that soothe them. Dead rats, bats and death.

Their mother. They extend their brooms out, only barely being missed by a bus that pulls up. The door hisses open and the three stare inside at a strange man that begins to flirt. That tells them he’ll give them whatever they want, because they’re easy on the eyes. 

He promises them children and they hop on to the empty bus, unknowingly running over a cat as they go down the street. It’s a while in the bus before Ansem calls out for it to stop, they leave the bus in a hurry and look around. Baffled by all of the costumes around them.

“What...what is this? I smell children but I don’t see children..?”

Xehanort hisses, “Hobgoblins.” 

As they stare and stand on the sidewalk, a little white angel comes up to them and curtsies. “Bless you~.” she says and skips away while they flinch and stifle screams.

A door slams open behind them, startling them and drawing their attention. A man in red cackles, dressed as the devil.

The brothers look to each other with glimmering golden eyes, “Master!” they shout, and run towards him.

The man, though certainly not the devil, knows how to play the part. He thinks the men before him are dressed up as the famous Nort witch brothers, and invites them into his house. 

“I gotta introduce you to my little woman!” he shouts, beyond ecstatic to see these ‘costumed’ men. 

“He has a little woman.” Xemnas says, a brow raising in curiosity and intrigue. 

Imagine the upset when it turns out simply to be a grouchy housewife. Xehanort’s face twists up in distaste and he begins to explore the house, ending up in the kitchen with a delighted little whisper of ‘a torture chamber!’ as the wife migrates upstairs. Ansem becomes intrigued with the television and Xemnas can’t seem to help but seduce their ‘master’.

Needless to say the wife is less than happy to see her husband dancing with a hunk of a man. She shoves candy into their arms and demands they leave. To which the brothers are less than impressed by her as a whole and her threat. 

They never anticipated the might of a lapdog with a devil wing harness.

Xemnas throws the candy to the ground after Ansem determines it is, indeed, chocolate before shouting in anger upon seeing some horrible creature stole their brooms! He marches down the street and rips the mask off of a child.

“All hallows eve has become a mockery where children wear costumes and run amok” he growls as his brothers echo him.

They would have to do something about this.

\--

It’s a relief to the trio that Vanitas is practically unkillable. Xion breathes easier and Roxas feels lighter knowing he wont have to worry about that heartbreak for her anytime soon. It means they can focus more on running, and finding help. They spot a cop on his bike, lingering outside of a shop and have been raised to believe that the police will help.

“Officer officer!” Xion yells, “You have to help us!” 

Roxas nods and begins explaining, from the break in of the Nort house to the lighting of the candle, how they’re on the run now from centuries dead witches that are not just out for their blood but their life forces as a whole!

“And he’s a virgin!” Xion announces helpfully. Roxas would cringe if he wasn’t so damn freaked out.

The cop doesn't seem to take them seriously, and gets up into Roxas’s face, asks him if he’s really a virgin.

“I’ll get it tattooed on my forehead okay!? Are you gonna help us or not!” Roxas snarls but the cop seems unimpressed and snaps at them, threatening them with jail time. 

Axel glares but guides the other two along, Vanitas meows a nasty little sound since he can’t really talk around just anyone and the small group pushes on. None notice the woman leaving the shop and getting on the cops bike, they don’t hear that he isn’t really a cop and thought they were messing with him.

There aren’t many options left to them. They’re in way over their heads. They migrate to the location of where they know their parents are subconsciously. They don’t even realize they’re doing it. Not until Roxas runs into their dad. They all begin talking at once, reiterating their story again to Roxas and Xion’s father. He just stares at them uncomprehending.

“Maybe we should find your mother…” Roxas knows there’s no way they’ll get through to him now, but Xion takes Vanitas and they go off to search for their mom.

It’s not as hard as it should be, considering the amounts of people in the room. She frantically tries to tell her mother what happened. 

“Honey how much candy have you had!” Her mother has to yell to be heard over the singing.

“Mom! I haven’t OD’d i swear I haven’t even had a piece! It’s real! They’re real!” 

“Okay okay honey, let’s...go find your father.” Xion learns then that her mother wont listen to her either, but she allows the woman to lead her back to Roxas and their dad. They argue, voices rising as Xion hops on a chair and gasps as the lights shine off of three heads of silver hair. 

“Rox!! Roxas! They’re here, they're here!” She jumps down and Roxas tries to get their parents out before halting and turning back.

“Roxas!” Xion calls as he jumps onto the stage, grabbing it from the skeleton painted singer.

“Your children are all in danger!” He announces and all of the parents turn on him, “No! I mean tonight the black flame candle was lit and the Nort brother’s have been raised, there! Right there! There they are!” he points and the crowd parts.

Xehanort stands there before his brothers, one moment of shock before his mouth curls, “Thank you, ‘Rox’, for that  _ marvelous  _ introduction.” Roxas can see the diabolical glint in his eye, “ _ I put a spell on you….and now, you’re mine.” _

Fear fills his soul and he drops the mic, hopping off the stage rushing to his family, “We have to go! Now!!” he tries to usher them out, but their parents aren’t listening and Eraqus comes up on them. 

It’s a horrible choice of making it out in one piece, saving themselves or risking it all to save their parents too. For the good of the whole town's children they run. 

Once outside, Vanitas hops from Xion’s arms and runs, leading them away. He leads them into an alley that reeks of seafood. 

“No one’s gonna listen to us, we’re on our own here…” Axel sighs and crouches. They can’t plan long, Vanitas hears the witches coming and orders them to hide. They hear Ansem sniffing them out, but he can’t seem to differentiate them and the scrod. 

For the first time that night they breathe a sigh of relief as the sound of footsteps fade. 

Axel pushes himself up, stumbling as an old oven door opens. He grins and meets Roxas’s eye, a glint shimmering in brilliant green, “I have an idea.”

\--

The witches follow the lure to a true hell for teenagers. They step inside and Roxas announces a welcome on the overhead announcements. The witches startle but continue walking, following Ansem’s nose.

“Hello, and welcome to the library!” The words echo and the witches launch themselves to follow, but it’s clear to all that know technology it’s a language learning tape, repeating the phrases in french. They follow the voice into a little room, an odd little room that smells even odder. They investigate the boombox that’s talking to them so clearly.

Roxas slams the door on them, locking it tight while Axel slams the heat all the way up. Vanitas blocks Xion’s eyes as the other two watch the witches go up in flames, leaving only green smoke hovering over the school behind. 

Xion cheers and runs outside. Roxas and Axel share a look and follow. They feel the lightest they have all night and Roxas sighs, leaning against the fence as he watches his little sister and Axel play and cheer in the empty street. 

Vanitas hops up beside him, and joins him in watching.

“Take good care of Xion, Roxas…” Vanitas breaks the silence, “You'll never know how precious she is until you lose her.” 

Roxas turns to the cat and sees a deep sadness in those golden eyes. He tries a smile, “Yeah- I will. Thank you, Vanitas.” 

The cat purrs in response, watching as the trio begin to head home. Xion pauses and looks, spots him and smiles big, “Come on Vani! Let’s go home!” 

“Yeah, Vani, you’re part of the family now!” Roxas’s smile matches.

Vanitas feels his heart swell, “Family...I...i’ve never had one of those before.” He hops from the wall and runs to follow, jumping up into Xion’s arms.

They make it home in what feels like record time, exhaustion hitting them all deep in their bones. Roxas settles Xion into his bed, tucking her in before grabbing a blanket of his own and sitting beside Axel on a bench nearby.

` “Youre gonna turn me into one of those fat contented stupid house cats!” Vanitas faux complains as Xion curls up with him, petting him more than he’s ever been pet in his entire life.

“You betcha! Y’know Vani i'll always take care of you! And so will my children and their children and their children after that, forever and ever.” Her voice peters out as she speaks, falling into a deep sleep. Vanitas purring like a little engine beside her.

\--

Unfortunately as they settle down, relieved to be rid of the witches, the green smoke reforms and the door to the kiln falls off. The three leave, a limp to their steps and smoke in their clothes. 

“I want… my book.” Xehanort says, dazed, then repeats it in french. 

The three tumble out of the highschool, following Ansem’s nose. It leads them to a familiar blonde and brunette, but not the blonde they’ve been searching. It’s the shoes Roxas had worn earlier in the day, stolen and now on Rai’s feet. Xehanort knows their time is running out, so he deems to leave these worthless peons alone, until they call them old and ugly.

Then it’s a simple matter to curse them, bind them and bring them home, locked and caged near the fireplace.

“We’re almost out of time, we will have to do it from memory.” He hisses, directing his brothers to their places 300 years ago. Ansem at the fire, and Xemnas heckling their prisoners. He struggles, growing more and more frustrated with the hesitance of his memory. He remembers most of the words, but one or two are slightly off. Nose. Toes. Tongue. Chung. 

Frustrated he throws open the window, and calls out for his book with agony in his voice, “Come home or make thyself known!” 

He frowns and tears himself from the window, pacing around the room for hours before despair truly hits and he throws himself down in their little lounge. Ansem goes to comfort his dear brother, taking his hand and trying to encourage. 

“Do you wanna hit me? Will that cheer you up?” he asks, and Xehanort gives a weak tap to his hand.

“Take me to the window, I want to say goodbye.” Xehanort says in a despondent tone. 

Ansem does as he’s told, hefting his brother up and leading him to the window. Xehanort throws open the shutters, “This is the end, I can feel it. We are doomed. I feel the icy breath of death upon my neck, take me to the window I wish to say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, cruel world. Goodbye life, goodbye all that.”

Ansem repeats the farewells as his brother says them.

Xehanort stops in his pitiful tracks as a beacon of yellow shines up, “HA! They opened the book! Come, Brothers! We fly!”

Though they may not have their original brooms any longer, they have other things that will make do.

Xehanort finds a broom reminiscent of his own. Xemnas a mop. Poor Ansem is left with a hefty old vacuum cleaner, chord and all.

\--

Axel startles awake, somewhere near five am, his heart hammering, but it soothes the moment he sees Roxas tucked against him, sleepy and content. But the clock, 5 in the morning! He has to go. He tries to get out from under the sleepy blonde but Roxas is a light sleeper.

He hums and peeks open his eyes, Axel can’t help but smile, “It’s five, I gotta go.”

“You could stay…” His voice is sleepy and he’s so soft and comfortable...it’s tempting, it’s really tempting. 

Axel hums and settles back once more, petting a hand through Roxas’s hair. Looking over at the still sleeping Vanitas and Xion he sighs.

“We owe him a lot, huh.” Roxas says, staring too.

Axel hums in agreement, “Maybe…” 

He turns to the book settled beside them and Roxas sits up fully. “I- he said it’s bad.” 

“But the witches are gone now right? If anything would have a way to help him...it’d be this book.” Axel reasons, and Roxas can’t fight that logic. The pair settle close, hold hands, and open the book.

They don’t see the glowing yellow light shoot from it; a beacon to its Master.

“Only a circle of salt can protect thy victims from thy power.” Axel reads aloud before the book is suddenly shut, angry golden eyes piercing into theirs.

“Hey! We were just trying to help you!” Axel shouts, though in a whisper not to wake Xion.

“Well don’t!” Vanitas hisses, “Nothing good can come from that book! I told you that!”

Axel sighs and moves to stand. Roxas does as well, shooting an apologetic glance at Vanitas who hops back up onto the bed to curl protectively around Xion.

“I should really go, but..do you have any salt? I’d feel a hell of a lot better walking home with salt.” Axel rubs the back of his head. His spiky hair is flagging and it’s very pretty.

“Let’s go look.” Roxas smiles, a small thing before boldly taking Axel’s hand and leading him to the kitchen. He has to find a stool to stand on as he digs in the backs of the cabinets but, Aha! He pulls the salt from the cupboard and drops it into Axel’s waiting hands. 

Axel turns it over in his hands and gives a soft chuckle as he reads the back. 

Roxas hops from the stool and leans against the counter humming a question.

“Circle of salt to protect against zombies, witches and old boyfriends.” Axel reads off, a grin on his lips.

“What about new boyfriends?” Roxas’s face is aflame but he’s staring into those green green eyes and he wants to know. Has this night- has it done anything. 

They share no words, but Axel slowly starts to lean in, Roxas’s heart hammers, when their lips are but a hair's breadth away...something upstairs shatters and clatters. Jolting them from each other and into action.

They run up the stairs only to see the window wide open. Roxas shouts for his sister, throwing back the covers only to see tan skin and silver hair. Xemnas shoots up with a grin and a Boo! Roxas stumbles backwards. The witches reveal themselves, Xehanort with a hand over Xion’s mouth and the book in his other while Ansem has a struggling bat that can only be Vanitas. 

“We’ll be taking these~!” Xehanort cackles and Roxas gets knocked backwards over his drum set, hitting his head harder than anticipated while Axel throws salt at the witches, a circle around them to protect them. But it doesn’t matter, Xehanort doesn’t care. The three quickly take their leave and Axel watches, breathing only when they’re out of sight, running to help Roxas wake up. An eerie song luring children on the wind.

Roxas is dazed, but Axel heard something important, “The magic- Roxas the magic keeping them alive. The magic in the candle. It only works for tonight, the kids are the key to keeping the bastards alive!”

“So all we need is the sun.” Roxas groans, “We’ll figure it out as we go- let’s- let’s go save Xion.”

Axel nods and helps Roxas downstairs. Roxas’s eyes glint, “I’ve got an idea of my own.”

\--

Roxas’s plan is to drive there, first and foremost they have to  _ get there _ . It’s surprisingly damn hard when an apparently tall dark and sexy witch uses his sultry voice to plant a sleepwalking earwig of a curse into the minds of all the children in town. Roxas honks the horn but it still takes forever. The little zombified kids don’t heed the honks.

Meanwhile Xion is tied to the chair in the witch's house, struggling to get loose while Vanitas cooks slowly near the fireplace. The brother’s speak about how nice it will be to be young again, how youth will be theirs, how they’ll live for a lifetime.

“It doesnt matter how old you are you sold your soul! Youre the ugliest thing and you know it” Xion yells, getting a hiss from Xehanort as the potion finishes brewing. 

“Open her mouth, we will make her drink.” he growls. Ansem goes to pry her mouth open, getting bitten for his hard work.

Just in the nick of time, Roxas throws the door open, “Prepare to die again!”

Xehanort sighs, unimpressed and tired of all Roxas has put them through, “You have no power here you fool!”

“No, maybe not but there's something more powerful than your magic and thats knowledge!” he shouts, a grin quirking his lips.

“Oh? What would that be.” Xehanort cocks his hip and stares.

Roxas grins, “Daylight savings.”

The brother’s eyebrows furrow and look to each other, mouthing the words, unknowing of the meaning until a pink light begins to shine through their windows. They gasp and retreat, assuming their melting while Roxas hurries to untie Xion. Xion grabs the bag with Vanitas in it while Roxas knocks over the cauldron reminiscent of when Vanitas did it all those years ago. In a split second moment Roxas grins at his tormentors earlier in the night and snatches his shoes back. Someone will let them out. Eventually.

“Roxas!” xion hesitates as Roxas tries to rush her outside, “I wanna see ‘em turn to dust!” 

A whistle catches their attention and she turns to see Axel, doing a little hurry up and get in this is all fake, dance. The headlights of the car are whats making the pink light. 

Xion’s eyes widen and she rushes out, “Pump it!”

It takes a moment, the sound of the car rushing out for the witches to realize they aren’t dying, but when they do Xehanort snarls and laments his potion. “Just enough for one more child. And I know just the one.” 

The two brothers try to persuade Xehanort to use one of the dozens of children just outside their door, but the old witch is too prideful for such things. He has his sights set on one little brat, and only she will do.

\--

The witches catch up quickly, Xehanort reaching in to grab at Roxas’s shirt. Roxas, beyond tire of it all reels off and punches the witch right in the throat. It certainly stops them long enough for the group to get back to the graveyard, back to the safety of Hallowed Ground. 

They immediately run into Xehanort’s raised Ex, Eraqus. Vanitas stops Axel and Xion from helping Roxas, who has been grabbed. He pulls out a pocket knife and the witches arrive, earging Eraqus to do it, to kill the boy. He holds Roxas in a near chokehold and snatches the knife from his hand. The witches cheer, but Eraqus only cuts the ties binding his mouth closed.

He immediately begins spewing words at Xehanort, curses for what he did before grinning at Roxas, “I’ve waited centuries to say that.”

Roxas politely manages not to gag, “Say what you want just don’t breathe on me.”

Eraqus releases Roxas and the pair begin to run back to Axel and Xion. Roxas steps between them when the others scream and try to hit Eraqus. He informs them that Eraqus is on their side- he’s a friend.

Xion smiles sweetly, “Hi Era!”

They form a plan quickly. They run back to Eraqus’s grave and Axel circles it in a layer or two of salt while Eraqus settles her into the hole. It’s finished moments before the witches show up once more. Axel takes the initiative to throw salt into Xemnas’s face while Roxas takes a nosedive to avoid getting kicked in the head.

“Go to hell!” Eraqus yells.

“Oh i’ve been there, thank you!” Xehanort cackles, “I found it quite lovely!” He flies overhead once more, throwing out a leg and kicking Eraqus’s head clean off. 

Xion crawls out of the safety of her hole, unable to stomach seeing Eraqus patting around on the ground to find his head. She picks it up and hands it to him, earning a small thank you. 

But that’s all the time that’s needed, she’s snatched up in a second by Xehanort. She screams and Roxas stares. Vanitas jumps from the ground to a tomb to the witch hovering above them, knocking the potion from his hand, then being thrown himself. Roxas manages to catch it.

“Put her down or i’ll smash it!” Roxas yells holding the green potion up.

“Smash it and she dies!” Xehanort yells, eyes on fire.

Roxas stares at his sister, then the potion. Then he drinks it. “Now you have no choice but to take me!” it feels like a victory as Xehanort hovers down, tossing Xion from the broom to grab him. 

“What a fool to give up thy life for they sisters” he snarls but goes higher and higher, making it dangerous for Roxas either way. He struggles still, his heart in his throat as the witch begins to suck his soul. Roxas pushes his hand against his face, almost causing them both to tumble to the ground. Xehanort calls for help from his brothers.

Axel grabs the chord of Ansem’s vacuum, Eraqus and Xion grabbing on too, keeping him in place. He calls for Xemnas to help, and at the right moment, when both their hands are clasped they release the chord, launching the two brothers high above the tree line. 

As they fly Roxas knocks both he and Xehanort from the broom, and he falls hard. Xehanort falls harder and onto his face but he claws his way up and digs his nails into Roxas’s hoodie. The anger in his eyes is unmatched. But it’s much too late. This was hallowed ground after all.

As he tries to suck the life from Roxas his feet begin to smoke and it’s a matter of seconds before they reveal stone instead of flesh. The whole of him becoming engulfed , a statue in his own right. 

Roxas has to tear himself free of the witches stone hands, falling to the ground in the process, staring in awe as the sun hits and the stone cracks and ruptures into dust. He looks up and sees the other two do the same. A farewell on each of their lips. 

Xion runs to him, throwing her arms around him with tears in ehr eyes, “Roxas! Are you okay!? You saved my life!!”

Roxas laughs, a little breathless as he wraps an arm around his little sister, “I had to, I’m your big brother.” 

She sniffles but pulls back with a watery eyed smile, “I love you, jerkface.”

Roxas grins and ruffles her hair, “I love you too.” 

There are only a few things left to do, they help Eraqus back into his crypt, a good night, a thank you before he falls backwards with a yawn. Then Xion says those dreaded words, “Vanitas? Where are you boy!” 

They spend an hour looking for the cat, and can find neither hide nor hair of him. His body isn’t there alive or otherwise. Roxas has to coax a sobbing Xion home, promises her a trip to the pet store later, “Honor his memory in a new life.” 

It doesnt assuage her tears, but it helps him get her home.

Axel goes with them, after the night they had, he doesn’t want to yet be parted from them. 

He holds Roxas’s hand all the way there.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed!!


End file.
